Without One's Wings
by The Starscream
Summary: Starscream struggles with protecting a dangerous secret as well as the Trine's secret. The price for protection keeps rising and rising and suddenly that price has a severe consequence. Darkly Themed. Slash kinda...not really. SSx?
1. Prologue: Silence

I got attacked by another plot bunny and it is interfering with Treacherous Loyalty so I plan on killing it by writing both stories at once. It will mean that both will be updated slower. I plan to update every weekend as I have no work on those days.

Story Info: This story is based around Starscream and the Command Trine but mainly Screamer. This story will have a _humongous _mistake for the first few chapters or so but I doubt most of you will notice (but I say most of you will so that kinda defeats the purpose but anyway). I can't tell you what it is because that will give some of the story away...although...it will be confusing and annoying to some but I can't really help that so I apologize beforehand.

WARNING: This is darkly themed so be cautious! It has rape and blackmail and is just generally dark...well I think it is anyway...

Thanks to Baird Crevan for being my Beta!

Enjoy. Feedback much Appreciated!

* * *

Silence.

The dim light flickered, casting darkness across the room in quick flashes. The room's walls were a bare gray; lifeless, unlike the occupant of the room. The figure's bright colour scheme warranted all attention with its boldness.

Starscream glared gloomily at the door to his quarters. Elbows rested on spread knees with digits interlaced between them. Wings draped around his hunched frame displaying his boredom.

Three Earth minutes.

He hated this. His pride hated this. His body hated this. He was disgusted with himself. What would they think if the knew? Would they still love him? Starscream forced his vent to keep the even and quiet rhythm as he felt panic trying to break loose through his systems. He didn't want his fears known by anyone, especially _him_. He would only be further humiliated.

His optics narrowed at the closed door. This was all _their_ fault! He would never have to _degrade_ himself so had his idiot trinemates been more careful. It was all their fault. So why did he have to suffer this humiliation? Why did he save them when it cost him this? He loved them, he truly did but _this_? Ruby optics narrow further. If they ever found out they would probably leave him. They weren't bonded. He had always been an outsider because he was... what he was. Different traditions, different functions. They would have to plan the bonding carefully and most definitely after the war. It would never happen though... It was just one of Starscream's fantasies.

This knowledge scared him. If they left then they might let slip about Starscream's little secret. They would have no use for him any more; they would have each other and could maybe make a few credits by selling him out. But would they actually do that?

Thirty seconds.

Starscream felt his frame tense, circuitry aching, wings straining to remain still. He blanked his faceplates with ease born from vorns of practice. He could already see those glazed optics and smirking mouth.

Then he entered.

Starscream remained seated, optics locking with those of his unfortunate companion. Nothing was said as the newcomer moved toward the Seeker without a sound. A servo stretched forward to trail delicate digits over the edge of a white wing. Starscream did not reward the contact even though small tingles of pleasure sparked across his circuitry. He would only give what they had agreed upon, and nothing more. The other servo of the mech came up to cup Starscream's face, thumb extending to stroke a charcoal cheek.

"I am here to collect my payment for another months protection for your Trine... and yourself of course." He said, voice a smooth sound that rolled over Starscream's audios. Starscream was about to reply with his usual growl of g_et on with it_ when the mech's thumb landed swiftly on his lip components. "However, I am upping the price for this protection."

Starscream hissed in outrage, optics flaring. "But you already upped it when we arrived to Earth! You cannot do this. We had a deal!"

The mech's gaze didn't even waver as the Seeker hissed and spat. "Yes, I am aware of that but it is hard keeping your secret quiet with so many mechs sniffing about. I have to work harder to have you for myself even though I must admit you are beginning to disappoint lately." Starscream glared and tried to pull away only to be roughly stopped as his wing was held in a tight grip, digits just short of denting the sensitive metal. "I can easily let slip your little problem, Starscream, if you do not cooperate. I would bet that you would never recharge alone again if I did. And you must protect your wingmates's secret as well." The mech cocked his helm to the side in mock confusion. "What would they think of you then I wonder?"

Starscream remained quiet, and in doing so, surrendered to the mech. His optics found the floor as the grip on his wing loosened and a soft caress was his reward. He was pushed back onto the berth gently while his processor drifted. He would rather be sleeping with Skywarp alone than with this mech. This humiliation was suffocating him; every time stabbed his pride deeper.

"What's the new price?" Starscream asked to distract himself as the mech's glossia found his cockpit.

Bright optics met his as a servo snaked across his chassies to push aside the armour covering his spark.

"You shall see..."

* * *

It has been left like that for a reason!

(cliffhanger) You better get used to them!


	2. Glowing Problems

Hey everybody! Guess what, I updated!

Okay so this chapter is quite... well it is very vague! So there is a warning for vagueness.

Thanks to Baird Crevan for being Beta.

Replies:

**Carmilla DeWinter: **I like imaginations to run wild when they think about my work so there fore I encourage your imagination to continue! Thank you very much and I hope I continue to make your skin crawl!

**grimlock47: **Ah you again! well it think it's interesting too funny enough... Here is more for you to read.**  
**

**recyclablefoxx: **Lol. Well now you shallt have to wait any longer!**  
**

**Wannabe Starscream: **Who said that you will ever find out the secret mech? I surely didn't... Anyway thanks!

Warnings: Extreme vagueness!

* * *

Five Earth years.

Five slagging Earth years!

Starscream vented heavily at his terminal gaining a few stares. He ignored them and continued to hammer away at the control panel as if it were its fault that Starscream now had this predicament. Of course it wasn't but that didn't mean the panel would be shown mercy. It belonged to Decepticons after all.

Starscream couldn't begin to understand how the slag he was going to make it for five earth years. True it was such a short amount of time, only eight qaurtexs in Cybertronian time, but that was still a prolonged amount of time where Megatron could easily beat him to pulp and then he would have to start all over again. "Don't commit treason then" was what_ he_ had said to that argument. But Starscream would not be Starscream if he didn't annoy him. As it so happened Megatron didn't beat him this morning which aroused suspicions and Starscream began to feel suddenly trapped and wingless as he tried to get Megatron to react.

Nothing.

Skywarp and Thundercracker knew rightly something had changed and had bombarded him, not helping in the slightest and causing his anxiety and temper to flare wildly. His Trinemates were persistent and were now residing in the medbay after a quick scuffle. Just a few dents and missing armour. Nothing serious. Of course Megatron didn't beat him for that either. So much for being annoying unintentionally.

He had to go to the medbay later for a 'check over' when everyone else was in recharge. Hook would do what he was supposed to and then Starscream would return to his quarters or his Trine's. But now he had to stare at this damned monitor and work out equations for a new weapon that Megatron was so kindly demanding to have ready for the next solar-cycle. He would be far more efficient if his tanks had been a little fuller and not empting so quickly. Rations were strict, another thing that got in the way of _his_ plans.

Starscream narrowed his optics at the monitor. Some day he will be free and he will seek revenge for this humiliation and this degrading title that was bestowed upon him the night before. How he despised The Tittle.

"You seem to be a bit tense Starscream. Planing another attempt at humiliating yourself?"

Starscream bristled as his already thin control wavered. His attempts at curbing his temper were almost in vain... almost. "Of course not, my Lord." Not a lie but a lie none the less. He was already so humiliated and shall be night after night anyway, Starscream was able to fool himself into believing that what Megatron may put him through would actually be far more preferable... if it were not for the consequences that a beating from the Warlord would most likely cause. He would have to relive such a pride wounding experience again.

Megatron grunted from behind, most likely lounging in his throne like the lazy glitch he was. "You still seem a bit... different. Maybe your systems are finally failing," Megatron observed as Starscream lips curled in a silent snarl. Of course he would seem different. His systems and the codes running through his circuits were different now. It wouldn't be long till someone found out about that little change in his processor. "I would send you to Hook, but why should I? I would be quite pleased by your demise."

Now Megatron was just provoking him and he knew it but his temper was already on the fritz. One little argument couldn't hurt, could it? Then again it was Megatron who tended to talk more with his fists and weapons rather then his vocal processor. But maybe if he pissed Megatron off enough that Warlord might just kill him and then he wouldn't have to go through five years of trying to hide and survive in a world that didn't really allow for his... condition.

Or maybe the Autobots were an option. They wouldn't dare touch him now, but after five years then maybe... but then again five years may just build up some level of trust. But then Starscream wasn't the sentimental fool and would not change just so he could escape this.

"Starscream."

Starscream nearly jumped but restrained himself just in time. "Yes, my Lord?" he asked as he turned around in the chair. That was when he noticed the empty room. Well, the room would be empty if it had not been for a grate big pile of worthless gray scrap that stood before Starscream.

"You are different. Something wrong?" He sneered, mouth twisting into an ugly smirk. The Seeker couldn't help but feel a little nervous now when he saw a glint in Megatron's optics that he recognised all too well.

"Why would there be?" he replied, voice only wavering slightly even though it was higher pitched then normal. He couldn't afford to be beaten.

Megatron smirked and reached a servo forward to cup Starscream chin. Starscream visibly flinched while his optics blazed with anger. "I think I should show you who your master is. Your behaviour this morning was... undesirable. You however-"

The two pulled away from each other when the doors to the Command centre opened and Soundwave walked in. His visor locked onto Starscream and then shifted to Megatron.

"Megatron: Security breach. Location: Lower levels, Sector 265. Infiltrator: unknown." The blue mech droned and Starscream rolled his optics before twisting round and thumping the panel. Even though his exterior radiated anger and defiance, his insides were tight with fear. His spark hammered against it's containment and his processor reeled. He suddenly felt very trapped again.

Bringing up the internal scanners of the Nemesis, Starscream began to sweep through each room only to bring up nothing. He turned his helm to Soundwave with a questioning glare when there was a blip and an energy signature just appeared out of nowhere. Starscream glared at it instead while Megatron crouched over his shoulder to look at the monitor.

"Soundwave, send some of your cassettes down there. Starscream, you get a cell ready."

He didn't argue and left the room with a very dignified walk until the doors closed and he legged it down the corridor.

*O o O*

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

Silence.

"Please?"

"Skywarp!" said jet backed away with servos up in surrender.

"Okay! Okay." There was stillness before, "But, please?"

Starscream slapped a servo to his faceplate in annoyance. Skywarp just couldn't take "no" for an answer. Starscream knew that Thundercracker would come back and that Warp would go and beg him, but right now it was only them in a very small room with three perfectly usable berths. That, for Skywarp, was a very good reason to ask for some interfacing. But it wasn't because Starscream had far more important and troubling things to sort out. Of course the horrible feeling of his tanks being near empty didn't help his attitude and after a conversation of just saying the simple word of "no" Skywarp should have known that it had meant that his levels of tolerance had diminished greatly.

But, as always, Skywarp was oblivious to the ticking time bomb.

"What? It's a simple request and it's fun. It helps to pass the time and I am really, really, really horny!"

"Well, I'm not. You are bonded to Thundercracker not me. Go pester him."

Skywarp pouted childishly, pouted his lower lip and crossing his arms over his cockpit. Of course if the false alarm about the infiltrator hadn't been made then maybe Starscream might have actually been able to relax. Skywarp had a habit about getting too excited about things, and when it turned out to be false he had so much energy from his excitement that he had to channel it into interfacing.

Damn that stupid non-existent infiltrator for attempting to exist.

"But TC is all grumpy and all, and he just can't go fast at all! You are just far more entertaining to 'face."

Starscream glared at Skywarp knowing full well that that sentence was a load of scrap. "You mean that if you interface with me you won't be the one getting stabbed in the aft. Ever consider how I feel?"

Skywarp actually looked guilty at that and the pout fell from his face to be replaced by a sorrowful expression. "Well... kinda but... I do like interfacing with you anyway."

Starscream narrowed his optics further. That was all he was. A toy and means to interface with. He didn't voice this new thought, instead he looked away from his Trine mate and focused on the datapad in his servo. The equations for the weapon were done. All he needed now was some supplies that were in his lab at the back of their quarters but that could wait till the morning. He was exhausted.

He put the datapad down and lay down on his berth. Resting a servo on his cockpit above his spark chamber, he tried to offline his optics but found he couldn't summon the will to do so.

"Starscream?"

Starscream sighed. "Yes, Warp?"

"Why are you... glowing?"

Starscream opened his mouth to answer when he done a double take. Glowing? Starscream gave Skywarp a questioning look. Skywarp was sitting on his own berth optics focused on Starscream. The red Seeker could tell that Skywarp was looking at his entire body, and that unnerved him.

"You aren't glowing glowing but you are... glowing. You seem different somehow, like your paint job is brighter and your optics are far more...deeper and you smell really good too."

"Skywarp you are delusional and the answer is still no." Starscream growled and was about to sit up when Skywarp vanished to reappear on him. Two servos landed on the white expanse of his wings while a knee was planted on his abdomen. Skywarp stared down into Starscream's optics with anger and lust both radiating from his field.

"Why have you changed? You have! Something is different and you are driving me mental! I am not stupid." Starscream tried to struggle out from underneath his Trinemate but Skywarp would not relent his hold. "Starscream, why are you keeping a secret from me? From us?"

"Skywarp you already know my secret. I... get off me Skywarp!" Starscream tried to push the bigger jet off him by placing his servos on the black shoulders but to no avail. Skywarp was heavier and stronger then he.

Skywarp glared down at Starscream until he finally stopped struggling. Softening his gaze Skywarp lowered himself down onto Starscream's body, moving his knee and stoking the wings beneath his servos as he put his forehead into Starscream's neck

"You have never been afraid of me before..." Starscream met Skywarp's gaze and realised that he was shaking violently. As Skywarp's full weight came down on him his body stopped only because it couldn't move. "Why are you afraid? You know I wouldn't hurt you."

Starscream forced himself to relax as Skywarp's legs wrapped around his own. "I am not afraid. I'm just tired and stressed."

Skywarp snorted as he nuzzled Starscream's cheek. "I love you." Starscream felt his spark twist in pain at the declaration. "TC and I really want to bond with you. Become yours as you become ours. You keep pushing us away like you are scared of us."

Starscream felt a drop of cleaning fluid slip from his optic. "I'm sorry. I can't help it. With what I am-"

"Shush. We know. We do know but we promise not to use you. We will let no one use you for that purpose."

Starscream could feel Skywarp's systems slow as he fell into recharge on top of him and couldn't stop the tears the flowed down his faceplate.

_But you have already failed..._

* * *

Okay okay I know it really confusing and all but bear with me! The next chapter will be more informative. I promise it will. You can throw rocks at me next time if I do not make more sense... just don't throw any big ones! They hurt!

I would love some feedback! What is going through your minds right now? Have you noticed anything strange about this chapter? Got any ideas on Starscream's big secret? I wonder what the price was? And more importantly... who is the blackmailer? Whoever guesses right (which I can safely say that not many will get because I made this whole chapter vague!) will get a preview of the next chapter. Cool rightt? (and now you are saying 'God she is so full of herself!'. I have the worst self confidence ever so yeah...)

Thanks for reading!=)


	3. Heartache

WOOHOO! Chapter... something or other...? I think it's two but I am not entirely sure...?

This has not been beta'd yet but I really want to get it up before I go away so here you go! It will be beta'd and reposted asap!

Replies...

**Starfire201: **You should really sign in...Awe! Come on! Who do you think is the blackmailer? Don't leave me hanging!**  
**

**Yukiko-Angel: **Nice review! Short but to the point! Lol!**  
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**Wackylazy: **Well you may go crazier!**  
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**Wannabe Starscream: **Phew..no rocks from you at least!**  
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**recyclablefoxx: **Love the name! So recyclable! Oh! Two outa three! This is not shattered glass but good on ya for having a go and thinking outside the box!**  
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**Maverick1997: **Thanks! Glad your confused! (bet you not many authors say that to ya!)**  
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**Carmilla DeWinter: **Ilike being vague and they say you tend to be good at what you like to do! One out of two I'm afraid! Thank you for guessing and well done for having the courage too!**  
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**Soshoni: **Don't thank me yet! There is more to come!**  
**

**Bluebird: **Oh when I read your review I nearly screamed! I had just finished writting chapter Three for this fic and ...oh! It's actually kinda freaky that you chose Hook. You will see why when you read chapter three. You got One out of two btw!

**In this chapter you find out about two of the three things!**

Just so you know _no one_ guessed the blackmailer correctly!

* * *

The first time I saw him I couldn't help but freeze and stare. He was so beautiful. So streamline and curvy. At the time I didn't know the truth behind him. Didn't know from where he had come just that he was born in Vos like all other Seekers. I just saw the most stunning Seeker I had ever laid optics on. I knew then and there that I was going to attempt to court him, I knew that I wanted to bond with him.

I tried for vorns. I was ignored at every advance. My spark had sunk so low that my attention span was minimal and my temper wild. I so badly wanted to have him that it turned into an obsession. I would watch from a distance as he danced in the skies or fought on the ground. Even just when he was thinking on a new battle plan or invention.

Then they appeared. His Trine mates. Skywarp and Thundercracker. It was obvious that they had the same plans as I. They were Seekers too and so had the advantage... and won.

I had found out about them being bonded not long after and I had planned to report them when I discovered Hook talking with Starscream. That was when I found out that 'he' was a 'she'.

Starscream was a femme.

Femmes by then were long gone. I was surprised to find that she had hidden herself so well that not even Megatron knew. Then again if Megatron had then no doubt would he have taken her to his berth and spoiled her before I even got to approach her. I had suddenly felt so protective of her, so fearful for her welfare that I would spy on her constantly. Even though she had not acknowledged my advances I still felt like she was mine and mine alone and so I had the responsibility to protect her.

I loved her even though she was oblivious.

Then it became too much to bear. I cornered her deep within the underground base in Kaon. I told her that I knew her secret. That if she didn't give me what I wanted then I would inform others of her existence. That had just infuriated her, made her defiant. I had felt somewhat bad but I had suffered for so long. It was about time that she learned of my true feelings for her. It was about time that she knew of me. But still she had resisted even after I threatened the safety of her secret. Then I threatened her Trine mates. She buckled quickly, submitting to me without much of a fight.

"What do you want?" She had asked me even though we both knew what I wanted.

I told her that I wanted her. I wanted her in my berth. I wanted to hold her while she recharged at night. I dare not tell her that I want her to love me back. I was scared that she would reject me then and there by submitting to that term. She would not love me back truly had I forced her too.

After that first night I knew I could not ever let her go. She was so beautiful in overload, her voice surprisingly soft as she moaned and sung for me as I assaulted her with pleasure. She was mine then and I could not let her go. But afterwords, when she thought I had fallen into recharge, arms wrapped around her hugging her lithe frame to mine, she cried and weeped. Each whimper stung me harder then an energy whip, stabbed me deeper than an energon sword. Her frame jerked horribly and I forced myself to suppress the urge to hug her tighter.

For days afterword I had felt angry, hurt and ashamed. What had I done? What had I done? Those words became my own mental mantra. I hoped that she would come to me and end my suffering but she became distant and cold towards me and I realised that she would never be mine willingly. But I could not let her go. I had tasted her once I had to again. She became a drug. A drug that I craved for relentlessly.

After coming to Earth I knew that she had more options. More chances to escape from me. So I tied her to me. I gave her new life. I want her to love it. I want her to teach it. I want it to grow up with her. But I also want to do these things with it too. I want her to give me another chance and the sparkling that I have given her should grant us that. If it survives the five years it takes to develop inside of my Seeker.

I know she is frightened. I know she is angry and stressed. I know. But I will protect her like I always have. I will protect both of them. I plan to befriend her in the five years it will take for our sparkling to grow. I plan to let her see my true feelings for her. I even plan to confess everything to her. I have seen the error of my ways thus far but I plan to correct that but not yet. Just not yet...

* * *

Oooooooooh!

Come on! Talk to me people! Who do you think is it?


	4. Alpha

Okay here is chapter three. I think this is my favourite chapter so far.

It is not beta'd so forgive me for any mistakes and such.

Replies

**gillian: **Soundwave? Why the hell Soundwave?**  
**

**Starfire201: **Yay! You signed in! I like you logic to that! You may be onto something!**  
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**Tonbo: **Your only guess is that he is a Decepticon... Oh Primus!**  
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**Carmilla DeWinter: **Hook? Scavenger? Yeahnooo. **  
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**Wackylazy: **Soundwave? Why does most think it's Soundwave? I mean... He is so emotionless! And your dead... so I am officially talking to a dead person. Oh joy.**  
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**xXxRaven-SongxXx: **That is understandable. To be honest I expect alot of people to abandon this story.**  
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**Rowan3: **Lol. I agree with the High Heel logic! Soundwave? Really?**  
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** Yukiko-Angel: **Soundwave again... right...*takes deep breath* The other stories? There are two people (were two people) on this account. Check my profile page to see if it is actually me who writes the stories of which you speak! I'm Minty by the way.**  
**

**Joyeu: **Soundwave is the obvious choice? How so? Or Astro?**  
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**recyclablefoxx: **I think that you are a thinker. You know... I think you crossed out everyone in that list...**  
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**Drunken-Lullabies: **Scrapper? I think you are the first to guess him... oh wait! You aren't... but Scrapper?**  
**

**Wannabe Starscream: **It will when she starts to show but maybe the sire will do something or maybe some outside help will come... you never know what will happen with my plots...

The odd person is getting somewhere with their guesses...but who?

* * *

To wake up in the middle of the night with two winged bodies over her was to be somewhat expected. Starscream merely sighed in tired frustration. She was used to this but she never really _got_ used to it. Looking down at Thundercracker she could tell that her blue Trine mate had pushed Skywarp over so that the purple jet was on Starscream's left.

Starscream wouldn't have minded if it were not for the fact that her chest was alive with pain. Grunting in discomfort she tried to slide out from underneath the two bigger jets causing both to grumble in their sleep and to tighten their grip around her waist. This was not going to be easy.

She could just wake them up and pretend to be in one of her moods, giving out to them for invading her personal space and for taking up room on her berth when they had their own but that would never work. It never had before. Starscream glared at their recharging forms.

Thundercracker seemed to sense the hostile glare and shifted, pulling Starscream closer to him and pulling himself further onto Starscream's front effectively pushing Skywarp off. Starscream could feel Skywarp's grip tighten further before,

"Thundercracker slag off!"

That shattered the silence quite effectively.

Thundercracker woke with a start as Skywarp smacked him hard over the helm. Starscream merely grunted and used the opportunity to push her groggy Trine mate off.

It didn't really work though.

"Skywarp, what the slag are you doing?" Thundercracker snarled as he fixed his position atop Starscream much to the red jet's chagrin as her blue counterpart was now straddling her lower half.

"What am _I_ doing? I was here first!" Skywarp hissed as he poked Starscream's chassies with a digit. Starscream slapped it away with a hiss when he poked too hard. "I was so here first and don't you dare say otherwise!" Skywarp narrowed his optics at his bondmate while wrapping an arm across Starscream's chest and using his wing to separate Starscream and Thundercracker in a possessive gesture.

"Skywarp we are Trine! I have as much right to be on this berth as you have. Besides, you were smothering her with your frame." Thundercracker replied calmly, pointing to how Skywarp was once again 'smothering' Starscream. "Besides, Starscream didn't seem to mind when I pushed you over to her other side. She looked far more comfortable." Thundercracker looked to the femme Seeker that lay beneath his bondmate with optics demanding for some back up.

Skywarp turned his helm back to look down at a frowning Starscream beneath him. With faceplates merely inches apart, he took his chances. The only warning Starscream got was a cheeky grin before his mouth was on hers in a demanding yet tactful kiss.

Starscream couldn't help but to reply. Skywarp had always been good at the kissing. She moaned as his glossia glided around her mouth and he sucked on her lip components gently, paining chest forgotten as his servos wandered further down her frame. Starscream heard Thundercracker grunt in annoyance before Skywarp was forcibly removed from her. She growled in annoyance at both herself for submitting and because those warm lips and glossia were torn away from her.

She sat up and crossed her arms over her chassies as she watched the two male Seekers glare at each other and immediately she realised that she was going to witness, _yet again_, another domination struggle between the two.

"You two are so mature." She grumbled before swinging her legs around and got up off the berth. She walked around the two growling males and settled herself against the wall to watch in boredom and slight annoyance to the disturbance to the silent calm that had, only minutes ago, surrounded her.

She briefly wondered who would win this time. They both looked equally riled with their wings fanned out and their helms held high. In truth she was excited about the whole thing. It was in her programming to be. Being a Trine meant that they were all a unit so Starscream was allowed to interface with both of them at her own will and desire but the two males' programming dictated that there should be one dominant male who had first dibs unless Starscream said otherwise.

Right now there wasn't a dominant male. The last scuffle had resulted with both of them being told off by Starscream for knocking over some of her experiments in her lab. She had forbidden them from continuing the fight. Now however, the need for the dominant male had surfaced and both were more then willing to go for the title.

The pain in her chest was uncomfortable and distracting now as she had nothing else that was physically distracting her. It had buried itself deep in her awareness and would not budge. She held in the urge to whimper as it would alert her Trine mates to her and she didn't want them to find out about… that.

Starscream missed the first blow as things progressed quickly. It didn't take long for the two to end up rolling around on the floor. Starscream winced a little when Skywarp-being one to fight dirty- brought a knee in-between Thundercracker's legs with a hard bang. Thundercracker howled as his bonded cackled.

"Ha! Now Starscream won't have any need for you!"

A fist to Skywarp's face halted any potential conversation and the two males descended into a viscous fight on the floor. Arms and legs flying everywhere from the snarling and hissing entwined mass. Starscream leaned against the wall and sighed. This would most likely end with an interface as was tradition. An interface helped to 'seal' the tittle of 'dominant male' to the victor as the loser had to sit out and watch as the other asserted his dominance on the femme. The femme in question, Starscream, was still not in the mood for an interface.

"Will you two just stop already? You are a pair of bickering Sparklings, do you know that?" With a huff of her vents she left the two slightly guilty looking mechs as she made her way out of their quarters.

As soon as the door closed, she heard the tell tale sounds of renewed fighting.

*O o O*

Wandering through the Nemesis at such an hour was... dangerous. Traps were set and motion detectors could not tell the difference between Decepticon and Autobot. Lucky for Starscream that she knew her way around by now.

Approaching the medbay she was somewhat relieved to see the lights on; she wouldn't have to go wake Hook and most likely get a fist in the face. As soon as she entered Hook gave her a look and sighed.

"He told me." Such a short sentence and it made Starscream want to curl up, purge and die. The sympathetic look that Hook gave her made her pride wallow in suffering. "It's not right, you-"

"What can I do? If I leave, he will follow. If I fight, he will tell. If I die... then they will suffer. There is nothing I can do. " The normally gruff, blunt and rough medic gently gestured to an examination table with his servos. Starscream was well used to the way he treated her at night when no one was around. An old friend from before the war. He knew her secret. He had always known but lucky for Starscream he was one of those mechs who were against forcing themselves on a femme. Starscream always thought it to be hypocritical that they would have no qualms about forcing themselves on a mech, often on prisoners.

"You truly do not deserve this." He said shaking his helm in disgust. "Lie down on your back for me and open your chest plates." Starscream complied without hesitation. Hook had always taken care of her when it came to this, had always treated her with respect. Not even Megatron himself knew this side to Hook. "Any discomfort? Purging of tanks?"

"My chest is hurting, a dull ache. I feel like purging anyway."

Hook frowned at the attempt at humour as he ran his servos across Starscream's exposed internals. "The pain... is a good sign. Your codes and data are rewriting themselves and the systems in your chest area are shifting to make some room. It will be painful but I can give you some pain dampeners to ease it somewhat. Everything here looks fine. Because of the code rewrite you will find that you would rather run from things then stay and fight. You will be very paranoid also." Hook pulled away and gave Starscream the signal that she could close her chest plates and sit up. "Do I need to tell you not to anger Megatron? One well aimed punch could mess everything. Your frame needs to be intact and fully functional."

Starscream sighed. "The side effects of carrying are effecting everyone. Megatron tried to seduce me today. Soundwave... walked in before it got out of servo. My own Trine mates are having a battle for dominance as we speak. I don't know how to keep this from them." Starscream lowered her optics to floor as her wings drooped in despair.

Hook reached a servo out to cup her chin and lift her helm to meet his stern gaze. "I know you are not going to like what I am about to say but... He will protect you. You are carrying his sparkling and his programming will make him protect you."

"Hook, he won't be able to hide me." Starscream countered, completely repulsed by the idea of _him_ protecting her. "He can protect me, take me away and hide me in cave or something, but he won't be able to _hide_ me. In three years, maybe even less because I am a Seeker, I will start showing. He won't be able to hide me. After the five years he will take the sparkling and leave me to the others. He'll have what he wants and he will stop protecting me from them."

"What about your Trine? Skywarp and Thundercracker are already so protective of you. They will not leave your side."

Starscream growled in anger and hidden pain... hidden hurt. "They are not protective of me, they are _possessive _of me. Once they find that I am used goods they will leave me. Maybe first force themselves on me and then will leave me to my fate. All they want is offspring." Starscream lowered her voice as she turned away from Hook's searching optics.

"Why do you lie to yourself? They could have offspring with each other if they tried hard enough."

Starscream snorted as she threw her helm. "It's easier to use me. You know that chances for male partners to conceive are low. Not to mention that neither would want to end up carrying in the first place. I am the easy, quick... I'm the _efficient_ way for them to get a Sparkling."

Hook sighed loudly through his vents before moving away from the berth. Starscream watched him get some small energon cubes and fill them up with a yellow form of energon.

"This," he started, lifting up the cube and starting towards her. "Is designed for carriers. It is easy on the tanks yet powerful enough for the Sparkling. It should help you. Mix one of these with your normal energon in the morning and at night. Come to me when you need more. I have some hidden here, not even my brothers know of it."

Starscream smiled at him, previous argument forgotten.

"Thank you Hook."

*O o O*

On the way back to her quarters, Starscream found herself falling into a dreamlike state. She felt disconnected from the world around her, from her own body. The tiny little life beside her spark pulsed away happily, unaware of each and every danger that it's carrier was dancing around... for it. Starscream let a servo drift to her chest to message the armour plates in circular motions. She was protective of it. She did love it, she realised much to her dismay. She loved it when she shouldn't. It was forced on her. It would most likely never even know her. It was going to cause her pain, be an inconvenience that she could not afford. So how could she, the fearsome Air Commander and Second in Command of the Decepticons, love it?

She was weak that's why.

Megatron was right. She was weak. She couldn't even protect herself or her Trine without outside help. She couldn't even escape this mockery of a relationship. And she allowed herself to love something that reminded her of every one of her other failures. She was weak.

If Megatron ever found out about this weakness... If he ever found out... Starscream shuddered. Images of the big brute over her, forcing himself on her filled her mind. That smirk as he...Starscream shook her helm to clear the infectious thoughts from her processor. She would not let him. She would not submit to him. She would not share a berth with him and she most certainly_ would not_ interface with him. She felt her tanks turn with revulsion and nearly gagged at the harshness of the reaction.

But if Megatron did find out... would he force her to bare a child for him? Force her to have his heir? Or would he keep her as his personal slave? Femmes were all but extinct by this stage. Sure mechs could frag each other but the option of a femme always was far more popular. As far as Starscream knew, Megatron had never taken a male partner, he had always brought femmes to his berth- when there had been some around. There was always the option of him just throwing her to the other 'cons also...Starscream flinched as she tried not to let an image surface of her and the likes of Motormaster or Ramjet. That was just disgusting.

A stray thought of Skywarp and Thundercracker came to processor but she quickly destroyed it. They wouldn't risk anything for her. She was just their toy with special abilities. So why didn't she leave them? Why _couldn't_ she leave them?

Starscream paused outside the door to her quarters. All was silent from the other side, the fight most likely over. She so desperately wanted to curl up into Thundercracker's embrace, or get smothered by Skywarp but she just couldn't bring herself to open the door. She didn't want to face them. She didn't want to have a round of fragging. She stared at the cool blank metal surface, optics catching small details that she had never taken the time to notice before. Small scratches, dents and a few paint smears. So small that one wouldn't notice unless they really looked.

Starscream done a double take. The paint smears, mostly a navy black; the paint from her Trine mates. A few cobalt streaks; her own. And then there were the light grey ones that nearly disappeared into the unpainted metal of the door itself; most likely Megatron's from banging on the door. But that was it. Megatron never came near Starscream's quarters. Would never lower himself to come and get her when she was late for a shift. And his servos were black not light grey like the rest of him.

Starscream, being tired, decided that she was just paranoid. Hook said her programming would make her paranoid of anything and everything. She was just being paranoid! With that though firmly grasped she summoned the courage to open her door and stride inside. She was barely a second in the room when she was tackled by a blue blur.

It seemed Thundercracker was alpha... for now.

* * *

So...I get at least another seven names clear in that chapter. The noose is tightening.

There is a new poll on my page concerning this fic. Please have a look at it!


	5. Pointless

New chapter! Hey any Irish people out there? Then you will be able to relate to this chapter!

I ain't bothered to do he replies... I will reply to each of you separately... If you continue to guess on who you think th blackmailer is then I will try and answer but I don't really want to give it away. Lets just say that some of you have guessed correct. *ducks under table*

You guys will so love me by the end of this chapter!

Sorry for any mistakes!

* * *

The new weapon was a bomb. A bomb that was not aimed at any Autobot but the Autobots' pets. Starscream examined the sleek metal surface of the Cobalt Dust Bomb designed to release the deadly dust when activated. It caused no harm what so ever to a Transformer but to a human, the results of excess cobalt in the system meant death if not treated. Sure the humans could treat it if it were your normal cobalt but Starscream had added a special mineral from Cybertron to the mixture making the effects less obvious until it was too symptoms of the poising will not be activated within the human body till two hours before death. Once they inhaled, the human was dead.

The bomb was small and compact, able to fit in the palm of her servo. Designed to fit neatly on the underbelly of Starscream's jet mode. There were six bombs in total, one for each Seeker to drop. Starscream had designed them to empty their contents quickly and without an explosion to make it look like they had malfunctioned. Hopefully the Autobots wouldn't get their servos on one and do tests on it, that was the only flaw it had.

Satisfied with her work Starscream stands up from her workbench, small bomb in servo. She quietly made her way around the sleeping forms of her Trine mates who had ended up on the floor from last nights activities. Starscream could see small dents and scratches in each of their frames from the fight. Skywarp's wing was badly bent, maybe what led to Thundercracker's victory if the blue jet had had a good enough grip. Starscream also spied the dried lubricant on her blue Trine mate's lower abdomen and crotch area, something which Skywarp lacked. His exposed interface panel displayed an extended but limp spike and a closed valve cover.

Frowning Starscream continued out of their quarters.

She arrived at Megatron's quarters with the same frown marring her faceplate. Hitting the beeper to the side of the grey door Starscream began to fidget as nervousness began to take hold. It wasn't too early in the morning was it? Surely Megatron would be up by now? Starscream's wings twitched as the seconds dragged on until she realized that she was not frightened but rather... bored? The frown fell from her face and at the exact moment of the doors sliding open, a look of utter confusion was clearly visible on her faceplate as the light from inside illuminated her features.

Megatron raise on optic ridge when he saw her, an amused sneer on his faceplate... until he saw the bomb in her servo and his optics narrowed as he scowled. Starscream felt her pride sting at the reaction and jumped to defend her work.

"Don't go making that face! I worked for hours on this and if you don't appreciate the work then I shall go elsewhere with it... possibly... the Autobots perhaps?" Starscream smirked as Megatron growled. There was no way she could bring it to the Autobots sure it was useless to them but Megatron didn't know that. "Or maybe, if you truly underestimate it then I could detonate right here and now?"

Megatron smirked at her then. "You wouldn't have the bearings for such a thing! Now come in here and explain to me why the slag my weapon is so small?" Megatron stepped away from the door to let the jet enter before he shut and locked the only escape route. Starscream felt warnings go off in her processor and her confidence that had been there just moments ago vanished with the sound of the locking device activating. The urge to run had never been so strong in all her existence and she understood what Hook had meant. "I also want to talk to you about today's raid. Sit down."

Starscream looked to the chair that Megatron had indicated to and hesitated. _Since when does he allow me the comfort of sitting when in his company?_ She decided that maybe it was a good idea to follow his orders so she did, plonking herself in the chair and slouching to appear defiant as ever even if she did lack the defiant streak. She mentally scowled the sparkling for trying to make her submissive just to escape injury. _Little coward_.

"This," She began, holding the bomb up in front of her as Megatron sat down on the far side of his desk. "Is a Cobalt Dust Bomb." Starscream saw Megatron's faceplates screw up in displeasure and quickly said "You told me you wanted the humans out of the picture. You said that you wanted it done discreetly. I have just come up with a means for you to do just that!"

Megatron snorted. "And what will cobalt dust do to achieve such a goal? It is harmless. I thought that you could come up with something better then that. Disappointing Starscream! I should get Sound-"

"Megatron I am not finished!" Megatron growled a warning as the sparkling sent a few waves of fear through her. She ignored both. "If you actually looked into things you would know that humans can only have a certain amount of cobalt in their bodies. If there is too much they develop premicious anemia. Fatal if not treated. Yes there are many things that can poison a human but it just so happens that we have an endless supply of cobalt so it made sense to use it. We only use small quantities of it for electrodeposistion. We have other, far more effective materials for the process so I figured that we could do without some cobalt." Starscream looked back at Megatron when she realized she had been staring at the ceiling. His optics were focused on her and his servo stroked his chin in consideration. She continued, hoping that his silence was a good thing."I have ground the metal into dust particles which is the most effective way for it to intoxicate a human without them realising it."

"And how does this bomb detonate discreetly?" Megatron queried, still scratching his chin.

"It releases the dust when dropped and continues until it is empty. It won't actually detonate, hopefully the humans will think it as a blank and will move it around. The only problem that may occur is if the Autobots cope on to its contents and alert their human allies." Starscream answered, looking down at her digits and taking great interest in them.

"Interesting. I hope this means that you are finally coming to your senses. This better work Starscream or else you will be punished for a failed raid and for wasting my time. Now, the raid itself." Starscream looked back up to the silver mech as he activated a hologram of the human city they were going to attach first. "I want some of your input in this since you seem to be...," Megatron looked at her with optics narrowed in contemplation. "You seem to be less self absorbed in your quest for power... or are you plotting and planing in the complicated processor of yours? No matter. You know I could crush you with my bare servos without any warning." Starscream pouted when Megatron looked back down at the image. "What way do you suggest we attack from?"

Starscream was about to spill her thoughts on the plan when she froze. Megatron was asking her to help with the plan. Megatron was _asking her_ to _help_ with one of _his plans_! She stared at him mouth closing slowly as no words came to her lips.

"What do you mean?"

Megatron narrowed his optics in mocking as a smirk formed. "I asked 'from what way should we attack from?'. Hmm," Megatron let his optics roam her frame and she felt herself tense in the chair. "Or maybe I was wrong and you really are incompetent despite what you claim." Starscream gave him a blank look. "Don't you always complain about how I don't take you seriously? About how I never listen to your advice? Well here is your one chance. Impress me and I will allow your input in meetings to be considered."

Starscream glared. Megatron was only trying to stab her pride. If the plan failed then he would most likely kill her. But why now? Why now of all days? Why not all those years ago? Why not after Starscream's very first successful plan? Why? He had to be plotting something. He had to be. But what? What he possibly gain from listening to Starscream bar a wound to his own pride if she succeed? It didn't make any sense. But then again nothing with the Warlord did.

Sucking air through her vents Starscream sat up straighter in order to get a better view of the image. The many small power plants that they were going to raid were illuminated in blue while the city was glowing red. A green arrow pointing off to the right of the city symbolized the direction of the Autobot base but Starscream knew that they may not necessarily come from that direction. Pondering her options she began to lay out her ideas with Megatron merely listening to her in silence as he watched her servos point out possible advantages and disadvantages. When she mentioned splitting up into three teams he made his first question.

"Why would you separate the main force when we are far more powerful together as a whole?"

Starscream answered automatically. "Because if they come this way then we can catch them in a crossfire and the Seekers can empty their weapons on them from above. There would be nowhere to hide."

Megatron's expression remained blank as she explained this and Starscream felt frustration creep in with his lack of praise, his lack of correction, his lack of _response_. After another ten minutes Starscream lost her cool and stood up, arms crossed over her cockpit as she snarled.

"What is wrong with you? You ask me to add my input and then you remain completely quiet with no objections! Do you want this or are you just trying to humiliate me?"

Megatron leaned back in his chair at her outburst and took out a cube of energon from his desk drawer, he then took out a second one. "You haven't refuelled this morning." Starscream gawked at his reply. "It is not very wise to do such a thing."

"I only planned on coming here to drop of the bomb and then leave." Starscream seemed to consider her own words before venting loudly in a huff. "I shall go and get my ration now then if it upsets you that much!" She turned on her heel and was about to take a step when Megatron's voice halted her.

"No."

Starscream turned around slowly to find Megatron's optics glued to some point on her frame that was far too low for her liking. As she faced him fully his optics drifted back up to meet her gaze. He smirked and held up one of the energon cubes.

"Have a drink with me. It is only fair that I reward you for the work and effort you have exerted for me." Starscream frowned at his words. _Who ever said it was for you? _She hissed mentally but came back to her chair and sat down. Megatron handed her a cube before picking up his own and talking a deep gulp from it. "Why the sudden change in attitude Starscream?"

Starscream snorted. "If anyone has changed Megatron it is you. Most likely a glitch from your old age." Starscream sneered as she examined her cube of pink liquid.

"Were you never taught not to play with your energon?" Megatron smirked, ignoring Starscream's jeer.

Starscream, weary of the Warlord and utterly confused hissed. "What are you planing Megatron? What are you aiming to achieve?"

Megatron chuckled and leaned forward to rest his elbows on the desk. "You are paranoid Starscream. I merely want to give you a chance to prove your self. I haven't really been fair over the years have I? Well, now is your chance. Just one chance. Don't fail me Starscream."

Starscream shivered when he spoke her name. He almost made it sound like he was her mentor or something and that caused her to further speculate that Megatron was planning something.

"I need to prepare for the raid Lord Megatron." She said, the first thing that came to her processor.

Megatron grumbled as a snarl formed on his lips. "Very well. Dismissed."

Starscream stood up and as she done so she noticed Megatron's optics following her frame as they scanned up and down. She also noticed the frown as he continued to watch her leave. Pausing to wait for the door to open she cast one more look behind her to find Megatron glaring at her and she instantly slipped through the opening doors. But he hadn't been looking at her faceplates so that must have meant that he wasn't glaring _at_ her. She shook her helm as she walked down the corridor, heels clacking.

It was just the paranoia thing that Hook was talking about.

*O o O*

Laser shots whizzed past her wings as she swooped through the buildings of Dublin City. Starscream barely dodged the giant silver needle that stood in the centre of the street. _Why the pit do humans build these pointless things?_ She focused her scanners back behind her and realised that The Spire was not as pointless as she thought. Frowning at her own poor sense of humour she barely noticed a golden blur to her right and cried out as a weight landed atop her. Spinning and pulling up sharply she felt servos dig into her plating as the mech grunted.

"Ah! Get off me!" She screeched as she realized, too late, that she was the victim of Jet judo. Sunstreaker shifted his weight so that he was hanging off of one wing and causing Starscream to loose delicate control of her ascending spin.

"Not yet Screamy! I just have to give you a slight remodel! I know you'll love it!" Starscream hissed as Sunstreaker grabbed the leading edge of her left wing and began to pull back. Unfortunately, it didn't have the desired effect and he effectively pulled Starscream further back as she flipped, her nose now pointing down.

"You idiot!" Starscream felt panic as she was unable to slow her decent or rid herself of the golden mech. Still spinning wildly, she attempted to transform and get her thrusters under her before the fast approaching ground hit her. As she began to unfold she heard Sunstreaker curse loudly into her audio as he was left to hang off her back. "Last chance moron! Get. Off. Me!" Starscream reached behind her and grabbed Sunstreaker's shoulders and pulled him over her helm.

She intended to let him fall but he managed to grab hold of her forearms. Starscream growled in frustration as he smirked into her face.

"Hey Screamer... looking at ya from this angle...you defiantly need a remodelling!" He sneered.

Starscream smirked back at him as she slowly began to rise and she tightened her grip on his shoulders. She noticed the look of fear flicker through his optics and sneered at him as she brought him higher. When she had him well into he clouds she paused to hover.

"I can stay here all night grounder but how long can you hold onto me for?" Just as she was about to release his shoulders, he released her arms and grabbed her face and smashed their lips together. Shocked, Starscream lost control of her thrusters and they began to plummet once again.

She tried to twist free of Sunstreaker's grip as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him. His face beside her audios and his body far to close for comfort as she spat and hissed.

"I ain't letten go of ya! We fall together Seeker or you get your thrusters going!" He snarled as Starscream tried to right them.

"I can't. Not with the excess baggage!" She tried to push him off her but to no avail. "Uh! Get off!"

She could feel how hot Sunstreaker's body was against hers. She could feel some of his ex-vents and she did not like the feeling at all.

Just as she was about to give up she herd a pop behind her over the rushing wind and felt arms grab her under the arms.

"Get off him glitch!" Skywarp snarled as he levelled a null ray at Sunstreaker's helm and fired point blank. Sunstreaker cried out but his grip only tightened as spasms took hold of his frame."Get off him!"

Starscream grunted as she used all of her strength to dislodge the golden front liner and felt Skywarp try to loosen his servos on her back. That was when she noticed how close to the ground they were. There was a tall building to her left with a clock face on it. It's roof was just a little over their helms. Below them was a river and two streets either side of the dark water. Starscream could see their blurred reflection in the surface of The Liffey and she also noticed the red blur that jumped off of the clock building.

"Sunny!"

There was a loud clang as Sideswipe made contact with Skywarp's back and all four fell to the street below crushing cars and traffic lights. There was a loud grunt as Sideswipe punched Skywarp in the faceplate and Starscream watched in horror as her Trine mate's optics flickered before going offline. Sideswipe's attention turned to her as she tried to dislodge Sunstreaker only to find that the effects of the null ray had worn off and she briefly cursed Skywarp for not using a higher setting.

"Oh sneaky! And here I thought that you guys hated each other." Sunstreaker sneered as he held Starscream down, using his greater weight to pin her.

She snarled and heard Sideswipe chuckle from over her helm. "Hey bro... Do you think we're right? About that?"

"I don't know Sides. I kissed him and he freaked, reason why we fell like that." Sunstreaker grunted as Starscream slammed a knee into his aft as he hovered above her on his knees. "He seems feisty enough if you think about it... I'm still not entirely sure though..."

"Well why don't we actually check. The others are over on O'Connel Street." Starscream growled as Sideswipe's face appeared beside his brother's. "He is kinda pretty."

Sunstreaker smirked at that and Starscream felt a shiver run through her frame. "What the slag are you two morons talking about? Let me go!" She renewed her struggles as Sunstreaker fixed his grip on her wrists and held them above her helm. "What are you doing?"

Sideswipe moved so that he was somewhere below his brother, Sunstreaker's optics following him. "What we are doing, Screamer, is seeing if our startling observation is correct and you are in fact," Sunstreaker's face split into an eager grin. "a femme."

Starscream summoned her best 'are you crazy' look and froze. "What?"

Sunstreaker raised an optic ridge. "You so are! OMG bro! He is a she!"

"What!" Starscream screeched as a servo slide along the inside of her thigh. "What the slag is wrong with you? Stop touching me you Autobrat! This is pointless! Stupid! You will not gain anything from this other then your death!" Starscream kicked out with her legs and heard the twins sigh loudly.

"She does kick like a femme." One of them commented and Starscream screamed in anger at the remark.

"Get you filthy servos off me! Or I will kill the both of you slowly! Painfully! Get away from me!"

The twins ignored her cries as Sunstreaker smirked and placed a vocalizer disrupter on her throat and the only noise she could produce was the one cause by her frame scratching off the concrete and the clangs as her frame hit Sunstreaker's armour. Next the golden twin placed a pair of cuffs on her arms and tied a rope around her neck to hold her arms still. Then he slid down her body as each twin grabbed a leg. Starscream tried to bring her knees together but they were far stronger then she and much to her dismay tiredness was starting to set in.

When both twins managed to trap a leg under them they both placed a servo on her crotch plate and rubbed it gently. Starscream glared at them as her vents whirled within their sections. She was shaking as they tried to force the cover open.

"Come on... We just want a look."

"We won't hurt you we just want to give you a good time is all!"

Starscream replied by pulling on the rope around her neck viciously. Both the twins watched her until her struggles died down.

"Right... this may take a while." Sideswipe stated with a thoughtful frown.

"Yep" His brother nodded in agreement.

"We could take her prisoner and then pay her a few visits."

"More chance of gettin caught."

"Who else has a thing against Screamer?" Sideswipe asked and got a frown as a reply. "Oh yeah... Hey! I have an idea!"

Sunstreaker's smirk returned as he leaned over to his brother and they began to whisper to each other. Starscream strained to hear their conversation but it seemed they were talking in some strange language. Both finished their hushed conversation and looked down at Starscream with looks of pure delight.

Not long after and Starscream herd the sound of an engine as Powerglide flew over head. He landed out of Starscream's field of vision and approached them.

"You really did catch him."

The twins' smirks grew wider as Sunstreaker replied. "Oh yes...We caught him all right!" Starscream felt a sense of dread seep in as Powerglide produced a programme downloader and jabbed it into her arm, right between the seems of her shoulder. The last thing she saw was gleaming blue optics as she blacked out.

* * *

Don't you guys just love me? See! Told ya you would!

Feedback?


	6. Programmes and Codes

Okay so here is the next chapter. I warn you now that there is extreme OOC but it is explained so therefore it ain't really OOC but anyway. There is a fair bit of info in this chapter so pay attention!

I'm still looking for guesses on the mystery blackmailer!

Sorry for any mistakes!

* * *

Starscream glanced around her as her vision crept into focus. The first thing she had noticed was that she was still tied up but she was sitting on a berth and a comfy one at that. The room she was in looked like it had been carved out of rock. The stone walls surrounding her even had chisel marks. What caught her attention next was how the room was decorated. Paintings of differant things covered parts of the walls. Their bright colours contrasting the dull grey rock behind them. There was an energon dispenser in the far corner and there was a desk to her right with a chair on wheels.

Starscream pulled herself up using her legs as her arms were still tied to her neck. The vocalizer disrupter was missing from her throat and she imitated the noise of a human clearing their throat to make sure her vocaliser was working. She looked around behind her and saw a door to her left.

"For a while there I thought you would never wake!"

Starscream jumped and hissed as the voice whispered in her audio. Turning around sharply she saw Sunstreaker hovering in a different door near the desk, a door she had missed as it was behind her.

"What do you want?" She hissed.

Sunstreaker chuckled softly and moved to sit beside her on the berth. She instantly leaned away from him and he frowned.

"I swear I ain't gonna touch ya! Geez!" He raised an optic ridge. "There is a reason why we have you here though but I promise we ain't gonna do nothin."

Starscream snorted. "You are insane."

Sunstreaker laughed, his body bending over itself. "Am I? Look, Me and me bro, we know what you are, well we think we do. We just want to confirm it and then we will go from there."

Starscream tensed, wings rising on her back. "I am not a femme! Where ever you got this foolish notion from I don't know but I am not a femme and I will never share a berth with either of you! Now release me this instant!"

"Whoa Screamer!" Sunstreaker held his arms up in surrender. "You ain't in any position to make demands now are ya? I swear we ain't gonna harm ya!" Sunstreaker took a deep intake. "When Sides gets here then we will prove to you that we won't harm you."

Starscream narrowed her optics and snarled. "You lie no better the you fight!"

There was silence for a long while, in which, Sunstreaker lay down on the berth beside a nervous Starscream causing the Seeker's wings to twitch. Starscream didn't like the way his blue optics roamed over her body like a predator's. She didn't like the way he looked relaxed but the strange thing was the sparkling was eerily quiet. She could feel it lazily swirling within her chamber. Did it know something she didn't?

The silence was shattered when Sideswipe entered the room and Sunstreaker sat up.

"Did you get it?"

The red twin smiled and nodded. "Yep. I even know how to use it!"

Starscream hissed as Sunstreaker laid a servo on her shoulder vent and turned to glare at him.

"Okay this is how we're gonna do things. You either open your panel of your own free will or we force it open."

"Or you could just admit the truth and your panel won't even be touched." Sideswipe added as Starscream's optics widened in shocked anger.

"Why do you think I'm a femme in the first place?" Starscream asked, voice calm even though her own spark was spinning wildly. "What made you want to even consider me being a femme?"

The twins shared a look between them before Sideswipe sighed gently and sat down on Starscream's other side. Starscream didn't flinch away this time as both twins made themselves comfortable either side of her.

"We were going to play a prank on Wheeljack in the lab one day but when we got there Skyfire and him were talking. Skyfire seemed real upset and we quickly learned that he was talking about a femme." Sunstreaker began as he locked his gaze with Starscream's.

"We listened, naturally." Sideswipe continued. "Femmes are rare these days as you well know. Skyfire kep' repeatin' "I can't understand how she can feel safe there, how she has even survived this long." Course, we didn't know who he was talkin about till Wheeljack spoke and said "Starscream is well capable of looking after himself." Now, at that we were confused and this is why you are here now-'

"Well, part of the reason." Sunstreaker cut across.

"We... well you see..." Starscream frowned as she watched Sideswipe struggled with words. The feeling of dread and fear swarming her made her surprisingly calm as the Sparkling began to twirl happily, totally confusing it's carrier. "Well... Eh... I...We...erm...My bro and I...Well we kinda..."

Starscream sighed. "What? You and your brother what?"

"We kinda always-"

"Yeah we sorta-"

"Ever since-"

"Stop!" Starscream growled as their words began a muddled mess. "Now one of you talk." Starscream looked over at Sunstreaker with narrowed optics.

The golden twin gulped before saying "Wehavealwayshadacrushonyou!"

Starscream offlined her optics in frustration. "What?"

"We have always-" Sunstreaker began.

"Had a crush on you." Sideswipe finished.

Starscream sat silently for a few minutes to let the information sink in before she nodded and asked. "What?"

The twins sighed loudly before throwing themselves backwards on the berth and covering their optics with their servos.

"Who knew this could be so difficult!" Sideswipe wailed.

"Yeah! I mean, don't they always tell ya to admit your feelin's for someone?"

Starscream, still shocked at their declaration just looked down at them with a blank expression as her sparkling literally danced around her spark chamber. The red twin lifted a servo and peeked out from under it.

"You haven't laughed or sneered at us. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Starscream just stared at him. "If you had a crush on me then why do you admit to it now when you think I'm a femme?" A familiar feeling stirring made a growl rise in her throat.

Sunstreaker smirked as he sat up again. "That's the funny thing about all this, you remember the last battle we didn't so much as aim at you?" Starscream didn't reply as she never really watched to see who exactly was aiming at her. "Well, we had decided before that battle that we were gonna some how corner ya and tell you the truth, so during that battle we just observed your moves and such."

"About a week after that battle was when we found out about you being a femme." Starscream pouted at that. "And we then decided that we had to check it out."

"So... what? You're going to force me into a relationship? Why would you think that I would actually accept this?"

The twins frowned. "No... you being a femme means that we can court you. You know the rules of courting right?"

Starscream actually paused at that and began to think things through. Old programming activating as she recognised the long lost word. Scenarios and images flashing across her vision she shook her helm and asked gently. "Can you take this off?" She lifted her arms, gesturing to the rope and cuffs. The twins shared a look, each frowning. "I promise I won't do anything. If you are courting me then I can't object."

The twins turned to her, optics glowing brighter as genuine smiles spread across their faces.

*O o O*

Starscream purred as a servo messaged her wing. She had quickly learned that the red twin was good with his digits as he rubbed her wing panels. His chin rested on her shoulder between her vent and neck. She could hear him chuckle lightly as a shiver ran through her.

"These really are sensitive." He whispered as his other arm slid under her other wing and came up to wrap around her chest. "Did Sunny do this?" He asked, running his digits over the dent on the edge of her wing.

"Both of you have done worse." She gasped out as he began to bend the metal back. "Ooh! Primus!"

Sunstreaker chuckled from somewhere to her right and she onlined her optics to look over at him. He was drawing the pair of them while they sat on the berth and proceeded with the first step of courting; proving that they could touch their lover in the right way and remain in control of their hardware. Sideswipe wasn't even hot against her and she had to admire him for his control. Her Trine mates were never capable of keeping such control. It felt good to have someone give her pleasure without asking for an interface session in return.

Starscream shifted in Sideswipe's lap as his servo moved down her side, tickling sensors there before coming back up and repeating the process.

"You have no idea how long I have dreamed of this." His whispered huskily as he nuzzled the side of her helm. "Just to simply touch you."

"What about the other Autobots? Do they know what you are doing?" Starscream asked as she suddenly remembered about the twins comrades when she spied the Autobot symbol painted on a far wall.

"Don't worry. We have it all planned out. " Sunstreaker began, optics focused on the canvas in front of him. "You will have to go to the brig though, for a while at least. Then you will have to defect."

Starscream froze at his words. Of course! How could she have been so stupid? What the slag was wrong with her? Sideswipe seemed to notice her tensing and drew circles on her wing.

"You don't like it."

"I have been a Decepticon for so long now, Your comrades will never accept me. All the things I have done." She pulled away from Sideswipe's warm embrace and stood up on the far side of the berth. "What about Powerglide? How'd you get him to bring me here? What did you bribe him with?" She asked bitterly, suddenly feeling betrayed even though a voice told her she should have expected something like this. To her surprise the twins smirked at each other.

"We are Autobots. We don't bribe each other. He owed us a favour. We told him the truth behind our motives." Starscream frowned as Sideswipe shook his head. "Oh we didn't tell him about you! We just told him that you had been with us for a while now and we wanted to spend some quality time together."

Starscream smirked. "And he bought it?"

"Yep!" They declared happily. "Told him that we were gonna try and get you to stay longer this time."

"Your pulling my leg! Nobody would be foolish enough to believe that!"

"Okay maybe we are but he does know of our true feelings for ya so he did agree on the condition that we hand you over after a few days. By then we would have hoped to convince you that we are being serious and you would accept us as potential mates."

"To be honest, we didn't expect you to submit to our advances so quickly." Sideswipe said, scratching the back of his helm.

Starscream frowned. The sparkling! Her codes were all changed. Was this a good idea? She may not be thinking straight? Worry and fear began to take hold as she realised just what she was getting herself into. How had she not noticed before now that she wasn't thinking like she normally did? She would never have agreed to this in normal circumstances!

"Hey, something wrong?" Sunstreaker asked as he stood up and approached. "You look a bit ill?"

Starscream backed away from him and ignored the wave of annoyance the sparkling sent to her as well as the look of hurt on the golden twin's face. "Just thinking. You may not think it but I do have friends in the Decepticons. My Trine. I love them and I am not sure if I want to leave them. I am not even sure if I am myself right now." She moved around Sunstreaker and sat on the edge of the berth, rubbing her faceplate.

"What do you mean by that? You ain't injured or ill are ya?" Sideswipe asked, concern evident in his expression.

Starscream looked up at him. "Yes and no. I can't really say too much." She cringed, realizing that she may have done just that: said too much.

Her fears were confirmed when Sunstreaker narrowed his optics at her. "What? Megatron didn't do anything to ya did he?"

Starscream laughed, short and loud, but whether it was genuine or if it was from nervousness she was sure. "Megatron, as you already know has claimed me as his punching bag. But no, he has nothing to do with this. He doesn't even know. None of the Decepticons do bar a select few."

The twins took a moment to absorb this before they nodded at each other and turned to her.

"Have you ever been courted before?" The red twin asked to which he got a negative head shake. "But you do know about the programming code thing right?"

Starscream's face lit up with realization. Of course! How could she have forgotten? Once a mech proposed courtship of a femme that femme's systems registered it and made the femme submissive and compliant to the mech so that he could court her properly without the femme being biased and deciding from the beginning that she didn't want him. And the sparkling would love this as it meant it's carrier would get better care and so the chances of it's survival multiplied tenfold, especially in Starscream's case.

So what was she supposed to do?

A frown slowly took shape on her faceplates as she considered future scenarios. If the Decepticons came for her. If her Trine found out. If _he_ found out. And what about the sparkling? Would the Twins kill it? Would they try and override the current sire's lines of code and plant their own? Starscream had heard that the process of replanting was painful for the femme as it was for the sparkling though the earlier in the gestation the easier it was...but would they force a replanting on her? She shivered visibly and the Twins moved toward her.

"Hey, you alright?"

Starscream turned to him, optics narrowed. "You... you...," Starscream vented loudly as her emotions swirled in a giant mass of messed up feelings and fears. "What do you actually plan to do with me?"

The twins shared a look and Sideswipe answered. "With you? Anything you want really. We even have jet packs so we can fly _with_ you. But I get the feeling that you don't mean it like that, do you?"

"You won't be our slave. We are courting you because we actually want to bond with you to be with you, not to use you if that's what you are afraid of." Sunstreaker stated strongly, his brow creased as he frowned. "Why would you think that? I mean, it's against the law to abuse a femme's abilities and such. Courting laws are extremely strict you know, and we follow them. Besides, we still wanted ya when we thought you were a mech."

Starscream looked down at the floor, voice flat as she said. "And what about sparklings? Would you want some of them?"

Starscream felt rather then saw the glance they shared. " Well, yeah.. we kinda did. Not now though. And not until we are all ready. I know I defiantly ain't."

Starscream bit her lip as she lifted her gaze and stood up before the Twins. Turning around she felt their confused gazes before she met their optics.

"We may have a slight complication." Starscream flicked her gaze from one twin to the other before Sideswipe's optics brightened.

"You're already carrying."

* * *

How do you think they are going to react? How are you reacting?


	7. Dangerous Attraction

Short chapter but I'm sure you'll like it... I hope...

Does anyone have any more ideas about the mystery blackmailer? You all kinda went quiet about it...

* * *

Megatron roared as he slammed a fist into Motormaster's faceplates. The mech fell to he ground with a grunt of pain as Megatron turned on his heel and stormed to his throne.

That was the last time any one ever said anything bad about Starscream that night.

Megatron glared at Motormaster's team as they picked up their leader and excused themselves, dragging the black mech with them out the doors of the Command Centre. Venting loudly to display his displeasure Megatron as he growled again. That was not how imagined that night would play out. Sure the raid was one of the most successful since coming to Earth but he had lost the one thing he really wanted.

He wasn't sure how it had started. He wasn't sure how it had even lasted so long after all the trouble it had caused. His feelings for his SIC were horribly embarrassing and humiliating but he couldn't deny them, not any longer.

He wanted,_ desired_ Starscream.

He felt himself shiver as the thought went through him then felt anger creep back in as he remembered why he had never approached the jet before. Why Starscream disobeyed him, why did Starscream despise him? In all honesty it hurt Megatron deeply that the one mech he had ever felt any attraction to rejected him so... strongly, but he would never admit that as he barely did to himself.

He still remembered the first time he had ever seen Starscream. The Seeker was flying ahead of his Trine, Cybertron's young sun gleaming on his armour as he skidded to halt beside him and transformed into such a stunning creature that Megatron had actually lost control of his highly trained faceplates and stared. The way Starscream unfolded with such ease, the way his curvy frame played with light and shadow, the way that dark faceplate had been beautiful. Then his Trine mates unfolded beside him and the spell broke as a blue servo was outstretched towards a smooth white wing.

The Seeker had been perfect that day, temperament and all. Then it had changed so dramatically after a few days that Megatron was sure he had whiplash. The beautiful, the _natural_ faceplate turned sour with sneers and smirks, the voice like acid as it mocked him ruthlessly. What else could he have done? Starscream had to be reminded of his place. Of all the mechs to hate him and to stand up to him it would just have to be that one!

Growling quietly to himself Megatron rubbed his forehelm. Starscream was supposed to be here, now. They were supposed to be parting and getting over energised. Megatron was going to try and coax the Seeker to drink with him. He was tired of not having the one thing he desired the most. He was angry that he had not achieved this one victory. Well he was going to be victorious! He was going to make Starscream see. He was going to have the jet share his berth at least once if just to quench this thirst.

Megatron was startled out of his thoughts by the door to the Command Centre opening. He realised that he had slammed his fist down on the arm of his throne as waves of pain radiated from his wrist. Soundwave paused in the doorway, visor locked onto the new Megatron-inflicted-damage, before he stepped through and bowed before the Warlord.

"Lord Megatron." His monotone echoed around the empty room. "Mission: Complete. Plan: ready to be executed."

Megatron felt a smirk spread across his face. He was surprised that Soundwave had come up with a rescue plan so quickly. Megatron was sure he hated Starscream and would take his time. He had been expecting the plan for tomorrow morning at the earliest. Soundwave really was loyal, or maybe he just sensed how angry Megatron was and decided to get the plan done as soon as possible. _Coward_ Megatron thought as he took the datapad that was offered to him, _Starscream would've waited until I had demanded the plan before he even started to make a draught!_

Optics hungrily devouring the plan, Megatron felt excitement creep into his circuits. Oh yes! They were defiantly going to get Starscream back with this plan! This must have been one of Soundwave's best as of yet.

"We go tomorrow! Inform the men. If this mission succeeds... then we celebrate."

Megatron watched Soundwave nod as his visor brightened in some unidentifiable emotion. Megatron didn't pay much attention to it.

* * *

Ideas Anyone?


End file.
